Lifting jack



Aug. 28, 1956 M. B. LUCKER LIFTING JACK Original Filed Dec. 3, 1948 INVENTOR Z United States Patent O LIFTING JACK Original application December 3, 1948, Serial No. 63,367, how Patent No. 2,630,295, dated March 3,

1953. Divided and this application July 16, 1952, Se- 1 rial No. 299,119

11 Claims. (Cl. 254-98) The present invention relates to a lifting jack having a rotary lifting member, and more particularly to a novel actuating handle for turning the rotatable member. The presentcase is a divisional application of my co-pending application, Serial No. 63,367, filed December 3, 1948, now Patent No. 2,630,295, granted March 3, 1953. This handle structure is also shown in applications Serial Nos. 176,322, now Patent No. 2,630,296; and Serial No. 184,- 799, now Patent No. 2,637,523.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel handle for a lifting jack, which handle is shaped so that it may be moved from an operative position extending laterally outwardly away from the jack to an inoperative position extending generally along the jack to provide a compact unit for storage.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel actuating handle for a lifting jack having a rotatable screw rod, which handle is formed so as to be self-supporting in an operative position extending laterally outwardly away from the screw rod.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel lifting jack construction having the above described actuating handle, wherein the handle in its oper ative position has a portion bearing against a rotatable element of the jack, whereby to eliminate sliding frictional contact between the handle and the jack while the handle is being operated.

A more specific object of this invention is to construct a novel actuating handle from bar stock, which bar stock is bent to provide a portion engageable with a rotatable element of the jack when the handle is in operative position, allowing the handle to be rotated to an inoperative position extending generally along the rotatable screw rod.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view, showing an automobile lifting jack having a handle embodying the principles of this invention disposed in operative position with the handle also shown in dotted lines in its folded inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view, showing the novel actuating handle in operative position;

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3, but showing the handle in its inoperative position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the operating handle disposed in its inoperative position extending generally along the jack;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view, showing a modified form of the present invention;

' Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line .77 of Fig. 6; and v Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the form of the invention shown in Fig.6.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by the same numeral through- Patented Aug. 28, 1956 out the various figures, Fig. 1 shows an automobile lifting jack 10, which incorporates the novel actuating handle 12 of this invention. The jack 10 includes a front leg or strut 14, which is of generally U-shaped cross section to provide a housing adapted to receive therein an elongated screw rod 16. The strut 14 is of very rigid construction and capable of supporting the load of an automobile while, as shown best in Fig. 2, the screw rod 16 has a diameter which is relatively small as compared to the cross sectional dimensions of the strut 14. This relatively small screw rod is comparatively weak and incapable of supporting by itself the load of an automobile, if such a load were applied to the screw rod so as to place the rod under compression. However, as is more fully described hereinbelow, the screw rod is supported so that the load of an automobile places the rod under tension, whereby the tendency for the rod to buckle is greatly reduced.

A load lifting member 18 extends through the open side of the U-shaped strut 14 and is provided with a threaded bore for threadedly receiving the screw rod. The load lifting member 18 is provided with a load engaging saddle 20 adapted to engage and support the bumper bracket of an automobile. The details of this load lifting member 18 are more fully shown and described in the above mentioned co-pending application Serial No. 63,367. Upon rotation of the screw rod 16, the load lifting member moves therealong to raise or lower one end of an automobile.

Adjacent the upper end of the strut 14, the bracket 22 i is secured for pivotally mounting a supporting leg 24 to the strut 14. As shown best in Fig. 5, the bracket 22 comprises a sheet metal member which has been bent to a substantially U-shaped configuration with its rear wall 26 inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the strut 14. The bracket 22 may be secured to the strut 14 by any suitable means, such as welding. The leg 24, which is preferably in the form of a metal tube, is pivotally connected to the bracket 22 by means of a pivot pin 28 so that the leg may be swung from the open strut supporting position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 to a folded position substantially parallel to the strut 14. A metal bracket 30 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the strut 14 and is adapted to hold the supporting leg 24 in a predetermined position spaced from the stmt 14, whereby the strut is supported at an angle from the vertical. For this purpose, the bracket 30 is provided with a notch 32, which is adapted to engage a pin 34 extending from the leg 24 to lock the leg in position. Further, the parts are constructed and arranged so that the strut 14 is supported at an angle of about 20 from the vertical. 14 is preferably of such a length that the lifting jack may produce a relatively high lift so that the large low inflated tires which are now in common use in automobiles may be readily lifted clear of the ground. The strut length of about 35 inches has been found preferable since this will enable the jack to be used on substantially all makes of automobiles now in use. The lifting screw 16 extends from the upper end of the strut to a point adjacent the lower end thereof. Preferably, the threaded portion of the screw rod has a length of about 30 inches. This enables the jack to be used to lift automobiles which have bumpers disposed anywhere from a few inches above the ground to the usual height of about 12 inches to 18 inches above the ground. In order to prevent the jack from tipping sidewise when being used to lift an automobile, a cross foot 36 is attached to the lower end of the supporting leg 24, and a cross foot 38 is attached to the lower end of the U-shaped strut 14. The cross foot 38 is provided with an upstanding flange 40 which covers the lower end of'the open side of the U-shaped strut for a purpose more fully described below.

The strut As' shown best in Fig. 2, a cap 42 is disposed on and closes the upper end of the U-shaped strut 14. The cap 42, which has a portion 44, may be secured to the strut 14 by any suitable means, such as welding. The cap 42 is provided with a central aperture 46 through which an upper unthreaded shank portion 48 of the screw rod 16 extends. A thrust bearing 50 surrounds the unthreaded portion 48 of the screw rod and rests on the upper surface of the cap 42. A thimble or sleeve 52 having a central aperture 54 receives the terminal end of the shank portion 48 and rests on the upper surface of the thrust bearing 50. The cap 42 is provided with an upstanding annular flange 56, which surrounds the thrust bearing 50 and the lower portion of the thimble 52 for maintaining these elements in axial alignment. It is noted that the thimble 52 is provided at its lower end witha radially extending flange 58 which has an. outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the thrust bearing 50. The thimble 52 and the upper end portion 48 of the screw rod are provided with aligned apertures 60, 62, and 64 through which the terminal end portion or attachment portion 66 of the operating handle 12 extends. The portion 66 of the operating handle thus locks the thimble 52 and. the screw rod 16 together against axial displacement. The'thimble. or sleeve member 52 bears against the upper surface of the thrust bearing and thus supports the screw rod 16 against downward displacement relative to the strut 14. The lower end of the screw rod 16 is freely disposed within the U-shaped channel member 14 and is movable laterally relative thereto, as more fully set forth in the above mentioned co-pending applications. In order to prevent the screw rod from moving forwardly out of the open side of the U-shaped channel member, the upwardly extending flange 40 of the cross foot 38 extends to a position slightly above the lower end of the screw rod, thus, to trap the lower end within the strut 14. In order to prevent the screw rod from rising longitudinally out of the strut 14, a cotter pin 68 is assembled with the screw rod through a suitable opening disposed beneath the cap 42. A cotter pin 70 may be inserted through an aperture 72 in the terminal end of the portion 66 of the handle 12 to retain the handle in assembled relationship with the thimble on the upper end of the screw rod. If desired, a Washer 74 may be assembled over the handle portion 66 between the thimble 52 and the cotter pin 70.

The operating handle or lever 12 is preferably constructed of a single piece of bar stock of iron: or steel, or any other suitable material. The end portion 66 of the handle comprises one leg of a U-shaped portion 76 having a second leg 78. The curvature of the U-shaped portion '76 is such that the. leg portions 76 and 78' are spaced apart a distance which is slightly greater than the outside radius of. the. thimble 52. Because of this structure, the actuatingmember 12 may be rotated about the axis of the end portion 66 from the operative position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 to the inoperativeposition shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In this connection, itshould also be noted that the apertures 60, 62, and 64, in which the end portion 66 of the handle 12is located, are disposed downwardly from the upper terminal end of the thimble and screw rod a distance which is less than the distance between the legs 66 and. 78 of the handle to allow the handle to be rotated about the axis of the end portion or leg 66, as described. When the handle 12 is in the operative position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the plane in which the leg portions 66 and 78 lie is disposed at an acute angle to the axis of the screw rod and thimble. In other words, the leg 78 is disposed below the end portion or leg 66. In its operative position, the, leg 78 engages the outside surface of the rotatable thimble 52, as at 80. In this operative position, the leg 78 forms an abutment portion for engaging the outside surface, as at 80. This engagement of the leg 78 with the thimble serves to support the operating handle in its operative position, and since the thimble turns with the handle, there will be no sliding frictional contact with any element of the jack upon rotation of the handle. The leg portion 7 8 of the handle then merges with an outwardly extending shank or arm portion 82, which shank portion preferably extends at an angle from about 30 to to the plane of the leg portions 66 and 78. Preferably, this angle is about 45. This presents the end of the shank portion at a height from the ground where it is readily grasped by the operator for turning. This height is substantially waist high for the average individual. The shank portion 82 terminates in an upwardly bent portion 84 to which a hand knob 86 is secured in any suitable manner. The knob 86 may be constructed of wood, metal, plastic, or any other suitable material.

To move the operating. handle 12 to its inoperative position for storing, it is merely necessary to grasp the handle and pivot it about the end or leg portion 66 until the handle lies in a position extending generally along the strut 14, which position is shown best in Fig. 5 and in dotted lines in Fig. 1. In this inoperative position, the leg portion 78 of the handle may bear against the side of the thimble 52, asat 88-, as shown in Fig. 4, or the shank portion 82 of the handle may engage the side of the annular flange 56 of the cap 42. Whether one or the others of these portions ofthe handle 12 is first to engage depends somewhat on the angle at which the shank portion 82 extends from the plane of the leg portions 66 and 78. In any event, the bar stock of the handle 12 should be bent so that when the handle is in the folded position, the leg portion 78 will be disposed below the end or leg. portion 66 of the handle, in which position the angle between the shank portion 82 and the U-shaped' strut 14 will be substantially less than the aforementioned angle between the shank 82 and the planeof the leg portions 66 and 78 of the handle. Thus, it is seen that in its folded position, the handle member 12 will lie closely adjacent the strut member 14, thereby providing a compact assembly for either storing or shipping.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 through 8, the handle actuating member 00 is. constructed of bar stock in a manner very similar to the. handle 12. Thus, the handle 90 is provided with a generally U-shaped portion 92 having terminal; end or leg portion 94 extending through aligned apertures in the thimble 52 and the screw rod 16-, and leg portion 96 spaced from the leg portion 94 a distance greater than the outside radius of the thimble 52. In this embodiment, the end or leg portion. 94 is retained in assembled relationship with the screw rod by flattening. and enlarging the terminal end of the leg- 94, as at98.

The handle 90 isprovided with a shank; portion. 100, which extends, from the. leg portion 96 in a manner'siinilar to the above described shank portion.82 of the handle 12.. The shank. portion 100 terminates in an. upwardly bent end portion 102. The end portion 102 is preferably disposed. at an angle of less than 90 to the shank portion 100,.and preferably about 60, so that when the handle 90 is in the operative position, the end portion 102 extends at a. slight angle from the vertical, whereby it may be easily grasped by the operator. Surrounding the end portion 102 is a. sleeve 104, which has an internal diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the end portion. 102, whereby the sleeve may rotate relative to-the end portion when the handle is being operated. In order to retain the sleeve 104. in assembled relationship with the handle, the upper or terminal. end of. the portion 102 is upset and enlarged, as at 106. The outside diameter of the enlargement 1.06 is greater than the internalv diameter of the sleeve 104, but is preferably slightly less than the outer diameter of the sleeve 104. This structure enables a cap 108 to be assembled over the enlarged portion 106 and connected to the upper end of the sleeve 104. In the preferred embodiment, the cap 108 is provided with an internal diameter, whichis substantially the same as the external diameter of the sleeve 104, so that the cap may be force fitted over the sleeve and thereby retained in assembled relationship. If desired, however, the cap 108 and the sleeve 104 could be provided with complementary threads so that the cap could be threadedly connected with the sleeve.

From the above description, it is seen that the present invention provides a very simple and inexpensive operating handle which may be utilized to retain the screw rod against downward displacement relative to the U- shaped strut 14 of the jack. Furthermore, due to the novel formation of the bar stock the'handle is provided with means comprising the leg portions 78 or 96 for engaging another element of the jack for supporting the handle in its operative position. Furthermore, it is seen that this supporting means engages a rotatable element of the jack, whereby sliding frictional contact between the handle supporting means and the jack is eliminated. In addition, it is seen that the novel formation of the handle allows it to be pivoted from its operative position to a folded position extending generally along the strut of the jack to provide a compact storage assembly. Moreover, the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 through 8 provides a novel hand grip for the operator, comprising a sleeve 104 and cap 168, which hand grip may be quickly and inexpensively made from either sheet material or tubular stock and which may be easily and quickly assembled on the handle.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. An automobile bumper jack, comprising an elongated, rigid, upwardly extending, metal strut, an elongated screw rod disposed longitudinally within said strut, thrust bearing means mounted on said strut adjacent the upper end of said strut, said screw rod having an upper end portion extending through and above said thrust bearing means and having a transverse aperture therein, sleeve means surrounding said screw rod above said thrust hearing means and engaging said thrust bearing means, an actuating member comprising a length of bar stock having one end portion disposed within said aperture for turning said screw rod, said sleeve means engaging and supporting said end portion disposed within said aperture to transfer to the strut through said thrust bearing means downwardly directed loads applied to the screw rod.

2. A jack comprising a strut, an elongated member carried by the strut and rotatable relative thereto, and an actuating handle pivotally mounted in a transverse aperture in one end of said elongated rotatable member to turn the same, said handle being formed of bar stock of substantially uniform cross section and of substantial rigidity throughout the length of the handle, said bar stock adjacent one end of the handle being bent upon itself to provide integral, rigid legs fixed in spaced apart relation, one of said legs forming an axle of substantial length pivotally inserted in the transverse aperture in the rotatable member, said bar stock at the end of one of said legs being bent angularly to form an actuating crank portion of substantial length integral with the adjacent leg, the spacing between said axle leg and said other leg being suflicient to cause the said other leg to engage the side surface of the rotatable member to hold the crank portion in operative position extending generally normal to the axis of the rotatable member and also spaced a distance greater than the distance of the aperture from the end of the rotatable member to permit the handle to be swung over the upper end of said rotatable member into a folded position extending generally along said member.

3. A jack comprising a strut, an elongated screw rod carried by the strut and rotatable relative thereto and provided with a sleeve disposed transversely of the rod,

and an -actu'ating handle formed at one end with spaced, substantially rigid, relatively short leg portions, one of said leg portions extending in the sleeve of said screw rod to provide 'a turnableshaft extending transversely of the axis of the screw rod, said leg portions lying in a common plane extending transversely of the axis of the screw rod, the other of said leg'portions being spaced from one said leg portion a distance greater than the distance of said sleeve from the end of the screw rod so that said leg portion may be swung over the end of the screw rod from a folded handle position to an actuating handle position in'which the handle engages only parts of said jack which rotate with the screw rod, said handle also including a substantially rigid crank portion extending angularly from'one of saidleg portions to extend transversely of the axis of said screw rod when the handle is in actuating position whereby to turn the screw rod and to extend in the general direction of the axis of the screw rod 'when the handle is in folded position.

4. A jack comprising an elongated, rigid, upwardly ex tending housing, an elongated screw rod in said housing, a support for said screw rod extending transversely of said housing adjacent the upper end thereof, said support having'an opening extending upwardly therethrough, said screw rod having a shank portion passing through said opening and projecting above said support, a thrust bearingmounted on said support and encompassing said rod, a sleeve on the shank portion of said rod located above and supported by said bearing, said sleeve and said rod above said bearing having registering openings extending transversely of the axis of the screw rod, and an actuating handle comprising a rod having an inner end portion journaled in and extending through said registering openings in the sleeve and rod whereby the handle may be swung from a folded position to an actuating position, said rodhaving a crank portion extending transversely to thepivot axis of the inner end portion to form an actuating lever extending outwardly and transversely of the axis of the screw rod when the handle is in actuating position and to extend generally in the direction of the axis of the screw rod when the handle is in folded position, the inner leg portion of the handle and the sleeve forming supporting means by which the screw rod is pendantly supported on the thrust bearing.

5. A jack comprising a strut, a screw rod carried by the strut and rotatable relative thereto, means rotatably mounting the upper end of the screw rod on said strut and rotatable with the screw rod, and an operating handle having a substantially U-shaped end portion, one leg of the U-shaped portion extending through an opening in the upper 'end' of the screw rod and the other leg of the U-shaped portion being spaced from said one leg sufiiciently to engage the rotatable rod mounting means to hold the handle in operating position and to swing over the upper end of the screw rod when the handle is moved from an operating position to a folded position, and an operating handle portion extending outwardly generally radially of the screw rod from said other leg of the U-shaped portion when the handle is in operating position and in the same general direction as the screw red when said other leg of the U-shaped portion has been swung over the end of the screw rod to position the handle in folded position.

6. A jack comprising an elongated, upwardly extending leg, an elongated screw rod extending longitudinally of said leg and having a smooth portion extending upwardly above said leg, thrust bearing means mounted on said leg adjacent the upper end thereof and encompassing a part of the said smooth portion of the screw rod, said smooth portion of the screw rod having a transverse aperture th-erethrough above said thrust bearing means, an actuating handle having an attachment portion extending through said aperture and sleeve means engaging said attachment portion and said thrust bearing 7 means to support said screw rod against downward move.- ment .relative to said leg.

.7. An automobile bumper jack, comprising an elon gated rigid upwardly extending metal housing, sleeve means mounted on the upper portion of said housing, an elongated screw rod having a-lower threaded portion disposed within said housing and an upper smooth portion extending upwardly above said housing and into said sleeve means, said rod being rotatable with respect to said housing and having a transverse aperture through said upper smooth portion, an actuating handle for rotating said screw rod, said handle including a length of bar stock having an end portion disposed within said transverse aperture for connecting the handle to the screw rod and engaging said-sleeve means to prevent relative downward longitudinal movement of the screw rod with respect to the sleeve means, said end portion of the bar stock merging into a looped portion having a leg engageable with a rotatable element of the jack to support said handle in an operativeposition without sliding frictional contact between the handle and the jack during operation of the handle, said handle being pivotal about said end portion to a folded inoperative position.

8. A jack comprising an elongated upwardly extending leg, an elongated screw rod disposed in said leg, a support member mounted on and disposed transversely across the upper end of said leg and having a central opening therein, said rod having an upper shank portion extending upwardly through said opening, ball bearing means supported on said support member and about said shank portion of said screw rod, a sleeve surrounding said shank portion above said bearing means and resting thereupon, said sleeve and said shank portion having transverse openings disposed in registration, means associated with said screw .rod and located thereon below said support member for preventing withdrawal of the screw rod upwardly through said support member, operating handle means passing transversely through the registering openings of said shank portion and sleeve for preventing downward movement of said screw rod relative to said support member.

9. A jack comprising an elongated upwardly extending leg, an elongated screw rod disposed in said leg, a support member rigidly connected to the upper end of said leg and having a central opening therein, said rod having a shank portion extending upwardly through said opening, ball bearing means disposed on said support member about said shank portion of the rod, a sleeve surrounding said screw rod and resting on said ball bearing means, said sleeve and said rod having transverse openings disposed in registration, means associated with said rod and located thereon below said support member for preventing withdrawal of said rod upwardly through the upper end of said leg, and screw rotating means comprising a bar handle having a relatively long substantially round angularly bent portion which is disposed in and passes through the registering opening in said rod and sleeve for rotatably supporting said screw rod in rotatable position on said bearing means, the major portion of the lengthof said bar handle forming a crank portion adapted to be disposed outwardly of said angularly bent portion to turn said screw rod or alternately to be disposed substantially downwardly parallel with said screw rod in adjacent compact position relative thereto.

10. A jack comprising support means, an upstanding screw rod carried by said support means and rotatable relative thereto, means rotatably mounting the rod adjacent its upper end on said support means and rotatable with the rod, an operating lever, means pivotal-1y supporting said lever for movement over the upper end of said rod from a depending folded position extending generally in the direction of the screw rod to an operating position extending generally normal to the screw rod axis, and means engaging the rotatable rod mounting means to hold the lever against downward movement when the lever is in operating position.

ll. A jack comprising a support, an upstanding screw rod carried by the support and rotatable relative thereto, means rotatably mounting the rod adjacent its upper end on said support and rotatable with the rod, and an operating handle including an operating lever portion, an end portion pivotally supporting said handle for movement over the upper end of the rod from a depending folded position extending generally in the direction of the screw rod to an operating position extending generally normal to the screw rodaxis, and said lever portion having an integral portion extending below said end portion to engage the rotatable rod mounting means for holding the operating lever portion against downward movement when the handle is in operating position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 751,496 Gode Feb. 9, 1904 826,002 Winslow July 17, 1906 1,392,728 Westman Oct. 4, 1921 1,467,736 Owen Sept. 11, 1923 2,539,897 Davey et al. Jan. 30, 1951 2,608,382 Palka Aug. 26, 1952 

